Dino runners stride into the state spotlight

The Carbon High cross county team's checklist of goals from the beginning of the season is nearly complete.

*Accomplishing team goals and setting good times at meets. Check.

*Win a Region 12 title. The girls wrapped up a region title last week.

*Getting an invite to the state 3A meet. Absolutely.

Both the boys and girls squads will be heading to Sugarhouse Park in Salt Lake City for the state cross country meet on Wednesday.

Last Tuesday, Carbon played host to the Region 12 meet at the Carbon Country Club.

Head coach Tellise Allen said before the race that both the boys and the girls had an opportunity to go to state, with the girls team in prime position to qualify. For the boys team to qualify for state, Allen said they needed a top finish from a number of boys.

They did just that, helping to qualify both squads for the state meet.

"It was a really good day for our team," Allen said. "They all stepped up and performed well."

Leading the girls team was senior Regan Powell who finished first with a time of 18:20. Following closely behind in second place was teammate Rachel Goodrich who finished with a time of 19:15. And helping out to round out another top five finish was Susannah Ohlwiler, a freshman, who finished with a time of 19:43.

"We were all so happy to finish well," said Powell. "Our goal for the girls team was to finish first and we did that."

For the boys squad, a little drama was thrown into the fray during the race. The team was led by second place finisher Garret Marsing with a time of 15:52 and Justin Hepworth who finished seventh with a time of 16:35.

Skyler Larsen finished in 22nd place with a time of 17:59. Luke Olsen, who pulled a calf muscle early in the race, finished in 27th place with a time of 18:29.

Olsen said he felt his calf tighten up but didn't think the injury would interfere with him during the race.

"It felt like I got kicked really hard in the leg," Olsen said.

The training over the course of the season was a factor in helping him continue on to the finish, Olsen said.

"Coach Allen kept encouraging me to go non-stop," he said. "I just needed to focus on the runners and hunt them down."